Mechanical toy



T. R. DUNCAN MECHANICAL TOY Aug. 15, 1939.

Filed Jan. 17, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 /500055 /f flan/0M;

I IN VENTOR A T'TORNEY Aug. 15, 1939. T. R. DUNCAN 2,169,632

MECHANICAL TOY Filed Jan. 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 72:000/72/7 flan 0M;

IN VENTOR.

- ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 15, 1939 H UNITED STATES: PATENT OFFiCE MECHANICAL TOY Theodore R. Duncan, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 17,- 1939, Serial No. 251,423

9 Claims. (Cl. 4623) This invention relates to toys and has special by widening the neck of said cups; for in the case reference to that type of toy consisting of a set of of suction cups as heretofore constructed the lips differently formed pieces capable of being assemof the cup constric't almost completely when bled in a variety of groups, each group imitating subjected to tension, said constriction resulting a physical object such as an animal or inanimate in a diminution of the suction area and a conseobject. quentlessening of gripping power. The ratio of One important object of the invention is to prothe widths of the necks and the cups in my invide a set of such pieces capable of being convention limits the amount of constriction possible, nected by novel means without the use of pins n thereby increasing the gripping power of the and sockets, bolts or other like means; 'cups. 10

A second important object of the invention is With the above and other objects in view, the to provide a novel set of toy forming pieces held invention consists in general of certain novel dein assembled relation by vacuum cups. tails of construction and combinations of parts A third important object of the invention is hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the to provide a. set-of toy forming pieces certain of accompanying drawings and particularly pointed H? which are provided with indicia indicating the out in the appended. claims. places of application of such vacuum cups. In the accompanying drawings, like characters A fourth object of the invention is to provide of reference indicate like parts in the several such indicia provided pieces with additional indiviews, and:-

cia indicating the nature of the pieces to be Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the torso or 20 applied. body block.

A fifth object of the invention is to provide an Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the torso or body educational toy which can be manufactured at a block in an upside down and reversed position to fraction of the cost of most toys of this class and that shown in Fig. 1. v which can therefore be marketed at a price that Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a trapezoid-a1 everyone can afford. This object is accomplished block forming one of the pieces of theset. partly by the simplified form of the blocks them- Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an elongated bar selves, and by the means provided to connect forming athird piece of the set. them to each other. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of .acyllndrical Another object of this inventionis to provide member forming a fourth piece of the set. 30 atoy that can be made of cheaper materials. As F 6 is & pfi p ve V O a rectangular all pegs or metal parts are eliminated from this block forming a fifth piece of the set. toy, softer woods can be used in their construc- Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a block of a form tion, the only requirements of manufacture being similar to Fig. 6 but having certain rounded edges. that the blocks be given a smooth surface and Fig. Sis an enlarged sectional view of the type then be covered with varnish or paint to provide of suction cup used with the piece shown in Fig. 5. a gripping surface for the suction cups. Fig. 9 is a section through the suction cup used A further object of this invention is to provide with the pieces shown in Figs. 6, and 7. a toy that can be made oflighter woods, as Fig. 10 is a view of a double suction cup for these are safer and more easily handled by assemblies of parts not capable of being assembled 40 children. by permanently attached cups Still another object of this invention is to pro- Fig. 11 is a section through the suction cup vide a set of new and improved rubber suction used with piece shown in Fig. 4. cups especially adapted for assembling toy blocks. Fig. 12 is a. perspective view of the cup shown Certain of these suction cups are constructed so in Fig. 9. as to provide flexibility at the points of assembly Fig. 13 is a perspective view of an assembly of to give the assembled toy animation, as the parts the pieces to represent a bucking broncho. so assembled can be flexed or snapped. Other Fig. 14 is a perspective view of an assembly suction cups are formed so as to give a maximum representing an army tank. of rigidity between certain members, in order Fig. 15 is a perspective view of an assembly 50 that the assembled toy will keep its shape when to represent a. long range gun. carried about in play. Fig. 16 is a perspective view of an assembly A further object of this invention is to prorepresenting aclown. vide single as well as double suction cups of in- Fig. 1'7 is a perspective view of an assembly 5 creased gripping power. This being accomplished representing a. duck.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of an assembly representing a totem pole.

It is to be understood that the set as sold may be made up of as many of each form of the pieces as desired.

The member or piece indicated in general at 20 is of substantially rectangular form with two of its end edges rounded as at 2|. On each face this block is provided with one or more circles 22 forming indicia for positioning the suction cups, presently to be described, which connect the parts. Certain of these circles contain other indicia in the form of circles 23 indicating that the member shown in Fig. 7 is to be applied thereto. Other circles include squares 24 indicating the application of the form shown in Fig. 4. Still others contain crosses 25 indicating the place to apply the pieces like Fig. 5. However, it is not essential that the pieces be confined in application to the places thus marked but the indicia may be used to give instructions for the formation of various assemblies.

Fig. 3 has a body 28 of generally trapezoidal form provided on its sides with a representation 21 of a face. The longer rectangular face of this piece has a suction cup 28 secured in proximity to the square end of the piece. This piece is used for heads and other places in the assemblies, principally however for heads.

The piece shown in Fig. 4 consists of a flat strip 29 having a suction cup 3! provided with a flexible shank 3| fixed adjacent one end. Pieces 0! this character are used for cars, arms, wings, and the like, the flexible shank permitting vibration of the pieces when attached so that a more life like effect is obtained.

The piece shown in Fig. 5 has a cylindrical body 32 provided on one end with a suction cup 33. This 'form is used for legs, necks and other extended parts, the bodies 32 being capable of connection end to end as in Figs. 14 and 15.

The piece shown in Fig. 6 has a body II of rectangular parallelepipedal form provided on.

one end with the representation ll 01' a face. This piece has the cup ll applied thereto.

The piece shown in Fig. 7 has a small oblong body 35 provided with a suction cup of the type indicated at 30.

The suction cup shown in Fig. 10 consists of two cups 36 and I1 01' like size and joined back to back by a shank 3|. This double suction cup is used in joining two pieces, neither of which has suction cup at the point or points oi junction.

For instance, in making certain assemblies in sets having two or more pieces 2|, such pieces may be joined side by side or end to end by the interposition or one or more such suction cups. In like manner the pairs 01 pieces 2! may be connected in such assemblies as shown in Figs. 13, 14, and 17 and a pair of pieces 28 may be similarly connected as shown inl 'lg. 15.

It is obvious that the greater the number of the several pieces the greater will be the number of usemblages which can be made therewith. As here shown all the diii'erent assemblies can be made from a set containing one piece 20, two pieces each as at 2|, 2! and 32', four pieces 3! and ten pieces 32.

There has thus been provided a simple, amusing and instructive toy of the kind described and I difierently shaped pieces, and suction cups for securing said pieces in assembled relation, certain of said pieces having suction blocks permanently secured thereto.

3. A toy building set comprising a series of diiierently shaped pieces, and suction cups for securing said pieces in assembled relation, certain 01' said pieces having suction cups permanently secured thereto and certain of the suction cups being double cups with the cups facing away from each other.

4. A toy building set comprising a series of differently shaped pieces, and suction cups for securing said pieces in assembled relation, certain of said pieces having indicia thereon indicating positions for the attachment of the suction cups of other pieces.

5. A toy building set comprising a series of differently shaped pieces, and suction cups for securing said pieces in assembled relation, certain of said pieces having indicia thereon indicating positions for the attachment of the suction cups of other pieces and certain of the indicia being associated with other indicia for indicating the shape of the piece to be connected at the respective points.

6. A toy building set comprising a series of diil'erently shaped pieces, and suction cups for securing said pieces in assembled relation, certain oi said pieces having suction cups permanently secured thereto, certain of said pieces having indicia thereon indicating positions for the attachment of the suction cups of other pieces.

7. A toy building set comprising a series of diil'erently shaped pieces, and suction cups for securing said pieces in assembled relation, certain of said pieces having suction cups permanently secured thereto, certain of the pieces having indicia thereon indicating positions for the attachment oi the suction cups of other pieces and certain of the indicia being associated with other indicia for indicating the shape of the piece to be connected at the respective points.

8. A toy building set comprising a series of diiierently shaped pieces, and suction cups for securing said pieces in assembled relation, certain of said pieces having suction cups perma- I nently secured thereto andcertain of the suction cups being double cups with the cups facing away from each other, certain of said pieces having indicia thereon indicating positions for the attachment oi the suction cups 01' other pieces.

9. A toy building set comprising a series of diil'erentlyshaped pieces, and suction cups for securing said pieces in assembled relation, certain of said pieces having suction cups permanently secured thereto and certain of the suction cups being double cups with the cups facing away from each other, and certain of the indicia being associated with other indicia for indicating the shape of the piece to be connected at the respective points.

THEODORE R. DUNCAN. 

